Puzzle



UNITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

MATHIAS FAIrLER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

PUZZLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,748, dated September 1, 1896.

Application filed J 11116 18, 1896. Serial No. 595,974. (No model.)

To wZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, MATHIAS FALLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usef 111 Improvements in Puzzles; andl do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of devices which are designed for innocent amusement and as a means for cultivating patience and perseverance; and in consists of a certain combination of elements producing a puzzling problem to be solved by careful and patient manipulation of the Whole, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

My object is to provide an interesting and entertaining puzzle, which may be used by any one as a means for innocent and pleasurable amusement, and which shall be profitable in improving the qualities of patience and persistence, and which may be cheaply manufactured. With this in view my invention is furthermore designed to be instructive to children.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan of my puzzle. Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view taken at one side of the center, showing the barrier and gates in elevation; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of barrier and gates.

In the drawings, A represents a continuous wall erected upon or surrounding the edges of a plane base K, the walls being preferably rectangular, but may be suitably of circular form. Any suitable material may be used, but the base is preferably made of hard wood to guard against warping.

A barrier B divides the space inclosed by the walls into two approximately equal inclosures I and J, which may be designated as Russia and Siberia, respectively, for the purpose of inciting interest. The barrier has a portal F, having gates D D hung upon hinges d E at the side of the barrier next to the inclosure J, into which they may open until they stand at right angles to the barrier, where they are stopped by means of springs 0, supported by the barrier. The gates are made to move freely on their hinges, so that a slight tilting of the base causes them to open or close by gravity.

A metallic ball a or a true sphere made of any suitable material is used as a factor of the puzzle, the object being to place the ball in the inclosure land by slightly and steadily tilting the base cause it to roll through the portal F into the inclosure J, this being accomplish ed with comparative ease,the weight of the ball and the angles of the base causing the gates to open. The next and ultimate object is to cause the ball to again roll through the portal into the inclosure 1, its passage being usually obstructed by the gates, one or both of which may close as soon as the base is tilted to cause the ball to roll toward them. The ball is small enough to freely pass through the portal, but is large enough to be prevented from passing when either one of the gates is closed.

It is obvious that it is difficult to manipulate the devices so that both doors will stand open until the ball passes through, but it may be accomplished by first tilting the base until both doors stand full open against their stops, and then carefully tilting it the opposite way while the ball is before the open doors, when it will roll through the portal.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

A puzzle comprising in combination a base having a continuous wall about the edges thereof, forming an inclosurc, a barrier or partition extending across said base from the wall on one side to the wall on the opposite side, dividing said inclosure into two smaller inclosures of approximately equal dimensions, said barrier having a portal providing a passage therethrough, said portal having a pair of gates hinged at each side of the portal-opening and at one side of said barrier so that they may open toward only one of said inclosures, a spring arranged to stop each of said gates when it shall stand open at right angles to said barrier, and a ball or metallic sphere of greater diameter than one of said doors and smaller than said portal,

all arranged and to be used substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MATHIAS 'FALLER.

WVitnesses:

PHILIP \VINKLER, WILLIAM E. Vocr. 

